John q



(No Model.)

J. PINCE.

AXLB LUBRIGATOR. No. 482,918. l Patented Sept. v20, 1892.

WI'JVESSES T01? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN Q. FINCH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO A. W. SANBORN, OF SAME PLACE.

AxLE-LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,918, dated September 20, 1892.

Application tiled July 29, 1891. Serial No. 401,065. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN Q. FINCH, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Car- Axle and Bearing Lubricators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to what I term a caraxle and bearinglubricator;7 and it consists of the construction and combination of devices which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section through the box. Fig. 2 is a transverse scction.

This device is especially adapted to bearings where the weight rests upon the horizontal rotating shaft or axle, as in the case of car-axles. l

Its object is to supply the lubricant to the journal while the latter is in motion and to have the feed cease when the journal ceases its motion.

InA my invention I employone or more coils or spirals made of fine'wire twisted into a small cord or strand, this cord being then wound into the form of a spiral, as shown at A. The lower end of this spiral passes through or is suitably iixed upon the lower part vof an independent frame or support, such as the metallic plate B, which is bent at right angles, as shown,having a vertical side and a top and bottom plate projecting from it; or, if preferred, the frame may be made rectangular, having two sides. The upper end of the wire passes through a hole in the top plate and extends upward through the top plate. This spiral and its supportingplate B are placed in the oil box or reservoir C, which is situated beneath the j ournal-shaft D. The Weight rests upon the top of the journal by means of a box or cap, as shown at E, and the supply of Oil is contained Within the box below the journal. If the journal is short, a single one of the spirals A will be suiiicient; but it' the journal is of any considerable length two or as many as may be necessary to supply the whole length of the journal are employed. The spirals may all 5o be supported by one frame, or they may be placed in independent frames, if found more convenient or suitable for purposes of re moval separately. This construction allows the frame or support to be taken out of the '55 oil-reservoir C through the usual end opening without raising the car or otherwise disturbing the parts. The upper end of the strand,which extends through the upper plate of the frame B, is kept in contact with the 6o lower part of the revolving shaft or journal by the elasticity of the spiral pressing it upward. This upper end is thus kept in constant contact with the moving surface of the journal, the effect of which will be to agitate and cause a slight vibration of the spiral while the journal is in motion. Practice has shown that with this motion a certain amount of the lubricant will be carried up partially by capillary attraction,perhaps, and supplied 7o in small quanties to the moving journal. As soon, however, as the journal ceases to move the supply of oil ceases, and, while I am not able to scientifically' explain the operation of the device, the fact remains, and the result is to feed the lubricant when the parts are in motion and to cease feeding when the parts stop, in which respect it differs from ordinary wicking or fibrous material, which feeds by capillary attraction and feeds all the time, Sr whether the journal be in motion or not.

This device has the advantage over ordinary wicking or soft fibrous material that it will not take up any dirt or foreign matter which is in the oil, and thus become clogged and need cleaning, and by reason of its rigidity and elasticity the upper end is kept in constant and yielding contact with the part to be lubricated.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what 9c I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent., is

The combination, witha journal having a bearing and an oil box or receiver beneath said journal, of one or more feeders consisting of fine wires twisted into a strand coiled into a spiral and an independent removable frame or support Within said reservoir and removable therefrom through its end opening, said frame or support carrying the spirals in upright positions, with their lower ends restingY upon its bottom, while their upper ends are 

